02 LIVING JOYFULLY IN LIFE
Prayer and Joy
Philippians 1:3-5 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.
INTRODUCTION: WELL, TODAY, WE MOVE SLIGHTLY FORWARD IN OUR STUDY OF THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS. YET, THESE ARE POWERFUL VERSES, FOR THEY LAY OUT THE PRAYER OF PAUL FOR THIS CHURCH.
E. STANLEY JONES WRITES, “PRAYER IS SURRENDER – SURRENDER TO THE WILL OF GOD AND COOPERATION WITH THAT WILL. IF I THREW OUT A BOAT HOOK FROM A BOAT AND CATCH HOLD OF THE SHORE AND PULL, DO I PULL THE SHORE TO ME, OR DO I PULL MYSELF TO THE SHORE? PRAYER IS NOT PULLING GOD TO MY WILL, BUT THE ALIGNING OF MY WILL TO THE WILL OF GOD.”
THERE ARE MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE PAUL BEGINS A LETTER AND SPEAKS FIRST ABOUT HIS PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH THE LETTER IS SENT TO.
WHAT MAKES THIS PRAYER SIGNIFICANT FOR US TODAY, AND WORTHY OF A LITTLE STUDY IS THAT IT IS A “PRAYER WITH JOY” NOW, SINCE WE ARE LOOKING FOR JOY IN OUR LIVES, THEN IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO SEE HOW JOY PLAYS OUT IN PRAYER.
IF WE WERE TO TAKE A SOMBER MOMENT, ASKING OURSELVES ABOUT THE JOY IN OUR PRAYER LIFE, WE MIGHT BE SHOCKED AT THE LACK OF JOY IN PRAYING.
PROPOSITION: PRAYER IS IMPORTANT IN OUR SEARCH FOR JOY
TRANSITION: IN THE WORDS OF JOHN BUNYAN, “YOU CAN DO MORE THAN PRAY AFTER YOU HAVE PRAYED, BUT YOU CANNOT DO MORE THAN PRAY UNTIL YOU HAVE PRAYED.”
I. THE THANKS IN OUR PRAYER
a. KIND OF INTERESTING THAT THE FIRST THING PAUL PRAYS ABOUT IS THANKS, NOT A REQUEST.
b. IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THIS – THE METHODOLOGY OF OUR PRAYER MAY HAVE A DIRECT CORRELATION TO OUR JOY AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.
c. THE SCRIPTURE SHOWS US THAT PAUL WAS THANKFUL IN A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS
i. HE WAS THANKFUL FOR HIS CURRENT STATE
ii. HE GAVE THANKS FOR THE CHURCH IN ROME
Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.
1. THIS CHURCH WAS DOING GOOD WORK
iii. HE GAVE THANKS FOR THE CHURCH IN CORINTH
1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
1. THIS WAS A CHALLENGING CHURCH WITH LOTS OF PROBLEMS
d. PAUL’S THANKS WAS BASED ON THE SPIRITUAL BLESSING THEY HAD RECEIVED FROM GOD, NOT THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEY WERE IN RIGHT NOW
i. PAUL WAS SENSITIVE TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE CHURCH BUT MORE SO SENSITIVE TO THE MERCIES OF GOD IN DEALING WITH THE ISSUES
ii. PAUL’S THANKS AND HENCE HIS JOY CAME ABOUT FROM A FOUNDATIONAL CONVICTION IN THE POWER AND INVOLVEMENT OF GOD IN THE LIFE OF CHURCHES AND BELIEVERS!
e. WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN TO GIVE THANKS OR BE THANKFUL?
i. FIRST THE WORD THANKS IS THE GREEK WORD EUCHARISTO.
ii. WE GET THE WORD EUCHARIST FROM IT – A WORD ASCRIBED TO THE LORD’S SUPPER IN LITURGICAL CHURCHES
iii. IT MEANS, SIMPLY ENOUGH, “TO GIVE THANKS”.
f. THE QUALITY OF OUR THANKS
i. SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL PEOPLE FOR THE WORK OF GOD IN OUR LIVES
ii. THE FIRST USE OF THIS WORD WAS WHEN JESUS, BEFORE FEEDING THE 5,000 WITH THE LOAVES AND FISHES, GAVE THANKS
iii. PAUL, WHILE ON THE SHIP THAT WAS TO BE WRECKED, TOLD THE MEN TO EAT, AND GAVE THANKS FOR THE FOOD
iv. WE ARE TO BE THANKFUL TO GOD WITH THE SAME INTENSITY THAT WE ARE THANKFUL FOR OUR FOOD EACH DAY!
g. PAUL ALSO SPOKE ABOUT WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT HIS THANKFUL PRAYING
i. HE REMEMBERED THEM
ii. PAUL MET THIS COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS ON HIS 2ND MISSIONARY JOURNEY – ACTS 16
1. CONVERSION OF LYDIA – PAUL WAS LOOKING FOR ENOUGH JEWISH MEN TO SPEAK TO AND FOUND LYDIA
2. THE GIRL WITH THE DEMON PAUL CAST OUT.
3. THE ANGER OF THE CROWD AND HIS NIGHT IN JAIL
4. THE EARTHQUAKE IN THE JAIL AND CONVERSION OF THE JAILER
iii. PAUL ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THANKING GOD FOR THE MEMORIES
1. “MY GOD”
2. HIGH LEVEL OF INTIMACY
3. HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNION
iv. BY THANKING GOD, PAUL WAS SAYING THAT GOD WAS THE SOURCE OF JOY IN HIS LIFE.
II. THE JOY IN OUR PRAYERS
a. THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT JOY IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE IN IN OUR PRAYER LIFE IT ALLOWS US TO PRAY THANKFULLY AND NOT SELFISHLY.
b. THE WORD FO JOY IS CHARA IN THE GREEK
i. IT IS A INNER DEEP SEATED GLADNESS
ii. IT IS AN ASSURANCE AND A CONFIDENCE
c. THE JOY OF A BELIEVER
i. IT IS DIVINE. WE GET JOY FROM GOD
John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
ii. IT IS INDEPENDENT OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES OR HAPPINESS
1. HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS
2. JOY IS IMPARTED BY GOD
2 Corinthians 7:4 Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.
3. JOY SPRINGS FROM FAITH (CANNOT HAVE JOY APART FROM A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST)
Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. OUR FUTURE JOY ENCOURAGES OUR PRESENT FAITHFULNESS
Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Matthew 25:21 "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
Matthew 25:23 "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
a. WHAT WAS AHEAD OF CHRIST WAS WORTH WHAT HE HAD TO DO
b. I AM NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE JOY OF YOUR MASTER IS, BUT I KNOW IT BEATS THE ALTERNATIVE!
III. THE FOCUS IN OUR PRAYERS
a. FELLOWSHIP – PARTICIPATION
b. PAUL WAS JOYFUL THAT THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH WAS FELLOWSHIPPING WITH HIM IN THE GOSPEL
c. FELLOWSHIP OR THE GREEK WORD KOINONIA MEANS A SHARING IN SOMETHING
i. PARTICULARLY SOMETHING THAT IS GREATER THAN THE PEOPLE INVOLVED
d. FOR THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, THEY CAN ONLY UNITE AROUND THE GOSPEL
i. GENUINE SPIRITUAL PARTICIPATION
e. ANYTHING ELSE BY DEFAULT WILL EXCLUDE SOMEONE ELSE
i. ONLY WITH REFERENCE TO THE GOSPEL ARE ALL ME EQUAL – WE ALL NEED THE GOSPEL
ii. THERE IS NO OTHER AREA WHERE WE CAN FELLOWSHIP WHERE SOME ONE WIL NOT BE EXCLUDED
ILLUSTRATION: LEHMAN STRAUSS GIVES THE SECRET: "THERE WAS NO CONFLICT, NO CONFUSION, BUT CONTINUANCE. A CONTINUING FELLOWSHIP IS A PRAYER FELLOWSHIP. TODAY A VERY NARROW CONCEPTION OF FELLOWSHIP PREVAILS. IF WE ATTEND THE SAME CHURCH, RECITE THE SAME CREED, SAY THE SAME PRAYERS, EAT AT THE SAME CHURCH SUPPER, AND SOCIALIZE WITH THE SAME CROWD, WE CALL THIS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. BUT IS IT? FOR YEARS I HAVE WATCHED ALL OF THESE THINGS GOING ON AMONG PROFESSING CHRISTIANS WHERE THERE WAS OFTEN LITTLE CONCEPTION OF TRUE FELLOWSHIP IN THE GOSPEL. AMONG CHRISTIANS THERE MAY BE DIFFICULTIES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS ALONG THE WAY, BUT NEVER A DISRUPTION WHERE THERE IS PRAYER FELLOWSHIP" (DEVOTIONAL STUDIES IN PHILIPPIANS, P.42).
f. WHAT BROUGHT PAUL JOY WAS THAT (EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEEN SOME TEN YEARS) THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH WAS STILL PARTICIPATING WITH HIM IN THE GOSPEL
i. THEY STARTED ON THE FIRST DAY
ii. THEY WERE STILL DOING IT
ILLUSTRATION: JAMES BOICE WRITES IN HIS COMMENTARY OF PHILLIPIANS, “FELLOWSHIP WAS FOUND FIRST AND ONLY AMONG CHRISTIANS. CHRISTIANS WERE ONE. THEY CONFESSED ONE LORD; THEY KNEW ONE SALVATION. ALL THE BARRIERS OF THE EMPIRE WERE THERE WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, BUT THE CHRISTIANS SIMPLY OVERLOOKED THEM. THEY MET, NOT AS ANTAGONISTS, BUT AS THOSE WHO HAD BEEN CALLED OUT OF DARKNESS BY JESUS CHRIST AND MADE ALIVE IN HIM. THEY LOVED ONE ANOTHER, AND THE WORLD MARVELED AT IT. ONE OF THE GREAT PAGAN WRITERS EXCLAIMED, "BEHOLD HOW THESE CHRISTIANS LOVE ONE ANOTHER!"
WHAT WAS TRUE OF THE EARLY CHURCH IN ITS BEST DAYS SHOULD BE TRUE OF US. IT SHOULD BE TRUE; SOMETIMES, UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS NOT. IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, YOU BELONG TO CHRIST'S CHURCH AND SHOULD BE WELCOMED AS A BELIEVER BY BELIEVERS. THE SAME IS TRUE WHETHER YOU ARE RICH OR POOR, HIGH CHURCH OR LOW CHURCH, COVENANTER OR PENTECOSTAL—AS LONG AS YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN. WHAT IS MORE, YOU ARE TO WELCOME OTHER CHRISTIANS AS YOU WOULD BE WELCOMED. YOU ARE CALLED UPON TO LOVE ALL YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE LORD. YOU ARE TO PRAY FOR THEM ALL, BE CONFIDENT OF THEM ALL, SPEAK WELL OF THEM ALL, LONG FOR THEM ALL. YOU ARE TO DO SO EVEN MORE AS YOU GROW IN CHRISTIAN MATURITY.”
Boice Expositional Commentary - An Expositional Commentary – Philippians.
g. LATER IN THIS BOOK, PAUL WILL INTRODUCE TWO OTHER AREAS OF FELLOWSHIP
i. IN CHAPTER 2 – FELLOWSHIP IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. PARTICIPATING TOGETHER
2. THEREFORE WE ARE OF ONE LOVE, MIND AND ACCORD
ii. IN CHAPTER 3 – FELLOWSHIP OF SUFFERING
1. WE CANNOT SUFFER FOR SIN, ONLY CHRIST CAN DO THAT
2. YET, AS WE KNOW MORE ABOUT CHRIST, AND BECOME MORE LIKE HIM
3. WE BECOME MORE SENSITIVE TO THE SUFFERING HE DID FOR US.
h. TOGETHER THESE THREE AREAS OF FELLOWSHIP PARALLEL THE TRINITY OF GOD HIMSELF
PHILIPPIANS 1:3-5 I THANK MY GOD IN ALL MY REMEMBRANCE OF YOU, 4 ALWAYS OFFERING PRAYER WITH JOY IN MY EVERY PRAYER FOR YOU ALL, 5 IN VIEW OF YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE GOSPEL FROM THE FIRST DAY UNTIL NOW.
PHILIPPIANS 2:1-2 THEREFORE IF THERE IS ANY ENCOURAGEMENT IN CHRIST, IF THERE IS ANY CONSOLATION OF LOVE, IF THERE IS ANY FELLOWSHIP OF THE SPIRIT, IF ANY AFFECTION AND COMPASSION, 2 MAKE MY JOY COMPLETE BY BEING OF THE SAME MIND, MAINTAINING THE SAME LOVE, UNITED IN SPIRIT, INTENT ON ONE PURPOSE.
PHILIPPIANS 3:10 THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS, BEING CONFORMED TO HIS DEATH;
1. GOSPEL – CHRIST
2. GROWTH – HOLY SPIRIT
3. GRIEF – GOD THE FATHER
WHAT PAUL WAS SAYING IN THESE THREE VERSES WAS THAT:
GOD WAS THE SOURCE OF HIS JOY
THE PHILIPPIANS WERE THE FOCUS OF HIS JOY
FELLOWSHIP WAS THE CONDUIT OF HIS JOY
THOUGHTS TO TAKE AWAY TODAY
JOY IS THE LINK BETWEEN GOD AND OTHER BELIEVERS
REAL FELLOWSHIP IS THE OUR LINK WITH EACH OTHER
WHAT DO WE CONSIDER FELLOWSHIP AND IS IT REALLY THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BIBLE
JOY COMES WHEN WE ARE TOGETHER FOR THE RIGHT REASON – THE GOSPEL
